little bog

by Lindsey
(4-h Camp Ohio)

I was given a piece of a bog from my boss and was told to float it in water and see what grows, but some previous knowledge of bogs (very little but some none-the-less) sent warning bells off. Can we just use plain tap water to float this in or do we need to have acidic water first? Also, can this little project be don inside with a plant light or are we going to have to dig up and 1 foot square and "make" a bog?

Doug says he's confused. A "bog" is a place - not a plant. If your boss gave you a bit of "bog" perhaps you mean he gave you a bit of peat with plants growing on it.

In which case, you have to replicate the conditions of the bog or place where he dug it from.

Damp, likely coolish and with some nutrition under the roots (not floating on water).

Easiest way to make a small bog is to bury a bag of peat moss so the edge is at the soil line and the rest is buried in the soil. Cut the side of the bag and bury the edges of the bag in the surrounding soil (or remove them). You know have a small bog once it's thoroughly wet (it can take days to wet a bag of peatmoss).

Plant your bit of "bog" in the bag and keep it really damp.

Good luck